Two Is Better Than One
by Kellybccgtsfan
Summary: Anna and Bates meet at a wedding, but when disaster strikes and they are forced together will it bring them closer or tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Anna watched as the bride and groom danced their first song and questioned why she was even here. She hadn't wanted to come, hadn't wanted yet another reminder that she was 30 years old and still wasn't married, had never really been close if she was honest with herself. Still Mary was a close friend from college and she had not been able to come up with a good excuse for why she couldn't come. She was in between shows so she had the free time, and no one would believe that the idea of a week on a tropical island wasn't the definition of a great time. She had to admit that the island was beautiful, but it wasn't any fun to be the only single woman among all of Mary's friends. She sighed and headed for the open bar. She could at least enjoy the free-flowing tropical concoctions.

John stood at the bar watching the festivities. It was these types of events that made him wish he still drank. Instead he was nursing a club soda and bored out of his mind. He hated weddings. In his opinion nothing good came out of marriage, and he ought to know considering he had been married for twenty-five years. Even if he hadn't seen Vera in ten years and had no idea where she was, he was still legally married. He supposed he could have tried to find her and get a proper divorce but since he didn't have any intention of getting married again, he figured why bother? John watched as one of the guests headed towards the bar. He forced a smile to his face as the woman approached the bar. As she grew closer the smile became less forced. She was gorgeous. She was in a long flowing pink dress and her long blond hair was flowing over her shoulders. When she got to the bar he could see her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. John shook his head. He knew better than to check out the guests. Besides the last thing he wanted was an entanglement, even if she was gorgeous. He lifted an eyebrow and spoke.

"Evening what can I get you?"

"Something blue with an umbrella, and make it strong."

John sighed. He had no idea how to make these tropical concoctions people kept asking for. When he had agreed to help with the bartending he had specified that he would handle the straight forward drinks. Sam had agreed, but of course no one could know that Sam's wife would go into labor three weeks early and now John was forced to wing his way through bartending 101.

John shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "I will try my best, but I am afraid these fruity drinks aren't my strong suit. The tropical drink expert is with his wife as she gives birth."

Anna smiled. "Okay then, how about rum and coke?"

John smiled. "Now that I can do."

Anna watched as he made the drink. He was handsome, she had to admit. He was tall, at least 6'1 and solidly built. He had dark thick hair and his eyes appeared green but she wasn't quite sure. He was dressed casually in khakis and a green button down shirt.

"So you aren't the regular bartender?"

John shook his head. "I'm not even a bartender. I agreed to help out a friend, but as I mentioned, his wife is having a baby and I am stuck trying to figure out what the hell a bahama mama is."

Anna laughed. "What do you do on the island?"

"I give airplane tours of the neighboring islands. I'm scheduled to take some from your group out tomorrow."

Anna nodded. "I think Mary mentioned something about that. Although I don't know how many of them will be awake at 9am to take the tour."

"It's okay. My schedule is cleared all week for the wedding, as a favor for the father of the bride."

Anna's eyes widened in surprise. "You know the Crawleys?"

John nodded, "I was in Desert Storm with Robert. We go back a long way. I couldn't say no when he asked if I would be willing to keep my week free for tours while the wedding party was here."

"That was very nice of you. My name is Anna by the way. Anna Smith." She reached out her hand.

John reached out to shake it, and grasped her small hand in his big one. "John Bates. It's nice to meet you."

John released her hand and placed her drink on napkin. "One rum and coke. So tell me Anna Smith, what do you do?"

"I host a couple of cooking shows on the Food Channel. 'From Mundane to Marvelous' and "Decadent Dinners for Dollars'"

John shook his head, "Sorry, my idea of cooking is heating up left over chinese."

Anna smiled as she took a sip. "That's okay. So tell me about this tour. In case I decide to take it in the morning."

"Well it's a 3-hour tour." He held up his hand as Anna opened her mouth. "No Gilligan jokes please, and we tour some of the uninhabited islands. I give a very animated and interesting speech about the local history. All in all I would say it is a very enjoyable time." He smiled and Anna felt a little breathless. She couldn't help but notice how his eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled. How that smile made his whole face light up. She shook her head. She must have had too much to drink. She picked up her rum and coke and turned to go, but turned to look over her shoulder.

"I may just see you in the morning then, Mr. Bates." John started to tell her to call him John, but had to admit he liked the way Mr. Bates rolled off her tongue. Instead he offered her another smile.

"I will look forward to it then." He watched as she walked away, her hips swishing in the flowing dress. He felt his heart beat a little faster as he watched her. He shook his head. He wasn't going to go down that road. He didn't have room in his life for romance. He turned as another customer approached and he spent the rest of the night filling drinks for the wedding guests. It was only after he was cleaning up that he realized he hadn't seen Anna again. He had to admit he felt a little disappointed.

* * *

Anna winced at the brightness of the sun. She didn't think she had had that much to drink, but the slight headache and sensitivity to the sun's rays made her realize she had imbibed more than she had originally thought. She hadn't gone back to the bar, but the champagne had been flowing steady at the tables and Anna had indulged in a few glasses. She may have woken up with a slight hangover, but she had no intention of not going on the tour. She had to admit that John Bates intrigued her. He was different the men she usually met. For one thing he was older, at least 15 years if she had to take a guess and he had a real man's body which Anna had to admit was a nice change from the overly chiseled spray tanned men that she usually met. Plus she thought that the island and surrounding area was beautiful and she really was curious to see more. She walked up to the tour hut and noticed a small plane on a runway. Anna frowned. It looked awfully small. Anna normally didn't have a fear of flying, but she felt a bit nervous looking at the small plane. She noticed a man fiddling with something on the front and smiled when she saw it was John. He looked up as though he sensed her staring at him. He wiped his hands on a towel and headed her way.

"Miss Smith, I see you decided to join the tour." John had to admit he was happy to see Anna here. He had been thinking about her since last night. He couldn't deny it even though he tried too. There was just something about her that fascinated him.

"Please call me Anna and I am afraid I am the only one. The rest of the gang are a little under the weather." John laughed as Anna used air quotes for the last part of her sentence. He felt a stirring of excitement at the thought of spending the next three hours alone with this beautiful blonde who had captivated him without even trying.

"Well then why don't we get started? Are you ready?"

Anna hesitated. "It seems awfully small."

"Not really. It seats 8, plus the pilot seats. It's in top shape. I have it inspected every month. I promise you nothing will go wrong."

Anna took a deep breath. The thought of getting to know John better overtook her fear of the plane and while she wasn't quite sure why, being with him made her feel safe. As if nothing would harm her as long as he was next to her. She wasn't sure what was happening here, but she was here for a few more days and what harm could there be in having a little fun? She nodded. "Okay let's go then."

She followed John to the plane, taking his hand as she walked up the steps. John spoke up. "Normally the customers sit in the back, but if you want you can sit next to me, and see how I fly this girl."

Anna nodded. "I'd like that." She followed him into the cockpit and sat in the seat he indicated. He showed her how to buckle in before sitting in the pilot's seat. He strapped in and checked all the gauges and did a quick radio test. He started up the engine and the plane roared to life. John fiddled with some more buttons and before Anna knew it they were cruising down the runway and a few moments later they were up in the air.

Anna looked around as the plane gained altitude. It really was beautiful up here. She looked at John as he handed her a set of headphones with a microphone attached and when he indicated he wanted her to put them on she did as asked. She smiled as she heard his voice. He smiled as he began to talk about the islands that were laid out below her.

They had been flying for about two hours when John asked if she wanted to take a little side tour. She looked confused so he explained that there were several islands that were unknown to most everyone except the locals but he thought she would enjoy them. She nodded. If it met prolonging the time she got to spend with him, she was all for it. John smiled and made a slight turn. They had been flying for a few minute and Anna felt herself relaxing, the plane almost lulling her to sleep. She closed her eyes only to open them suddenly when she felt the plane jerk. She looked at John, who was frowning at the control panel.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

John didn't answer her; instead he was hitting and flicking several different switches. Anna tried not to panic. He reached for the radio.

"Mayday. Mayday. This is P9567B, can you read me?" He frowned as all he received was static. He tried again with the same result. He looked at Anna. "I don't want you to panic but we seem to have lost oil pressure and the engine has stopped running."

Anna looked at him with fear in her eyes. "How can you tell me that and tell me not to panic?" Her heart started to race as John reached over and tightened her seat belt. He then tightened his and looked out the plane's windshield. He appeared to be looking for something.

"I am going to land us on the beach over here." Anna looked out and frowned. "You are going to what? You are going to intentionally crash the plane?"

John wasn't focused on her anymore. He held the wheel hard in his hands as the ground got nearer and nearer. Anna started praying and as the sand grew closer she heard a scream. She realized it was her as the plane hit the ground with a thud. The plane made a sickening crunching sound as it hit the ground and Anna threw out her hands as the windshield crunched. She felt a stinging sensation on her forehead and her hand came away with blood after touching it. She looked across at John who was thankfully conscious although he had a nasty bump on his head. They both noticed the smell of smoke at the same time and John immediately began to unhook himself before getting up to help Anna with her belts. They both pulled off their headphones and with hands locked together then wrenched open the door and ran out of the plane. A loud explosion rocked the ground and they were both lifted in the air.

John braced himself for the impact but the breath was still knocked out of him. It was a few moments before he could move and as he did his eyes searched for Anna. He saw her lying a few yards from him face down. His heart filled with dread. He quickly ran over to her and turned her over, sighing in relief to see her eyes open. She took a couple of deep breaths and reached out as John grabbed her hand to lift her up.

"Are you okay?" Anna nodded as she rubbed her hands over her body taking stock of any pain.

"I think so. You?"

John nodded. "I had the wind knocked out of me and my head is killing me, but I'm okay. You have some nasty cuts on her face though. "

Anna remembered the stinging sensation. "The windshield shattered. I'm okay though." She began to look around. They were on a small beach. "Where are we?"

John frowned as he looked around. "I think it's one of the smaller islands, I believe it's uninhabited."

They both felt the isolation as they looked towards the ocean which seemed to surround them for miles.

Anna glanced at John and offered a weak smile "So much for the promise that nothing would go wrong."

John looked down at Anna and offered her a small smile.

He shrugged, trying for humor. "Alone at last?"

* * *

I hope it isn't too out there. There are some great modern AU Anna/Bates stories and I wanted to try and do something that hadn't been done before. Two movies I really like are Father Goose and Six Days Seven Nights. Both involve a man and a woman forced to work together and live together on deserted islands in trying circumstances. I don't know anything about flying planes so I apologize if it wasn't technically accurate. Please feel free to leave a review, they are always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Anna glanced at John and offered a weak smile "So much for the promise that nothing would go wrong."

John looked down at Anna and offered her a small smile.

He shrugged, trying for humor. "Alone at last?"

That got a small smile out of Anna, but soon it was replaced with a frown. "What are we going to do?

John looked at what was left of the plane. It was still on fire and probably would be for a few hours. Any beacons would be destroyed though with the flames so after that they really would be on their own. He had filed a flight plan, but in taking Anna off course their exact location would not be known. He sighed.

"We will have to hope that the smoke from the fire can be seen by a passing boat or even another plane. When we don't return in a few hours they will send out a search party to look for us. Unfortunately I am not sure exactly where we are, which means they won't either. So it could take few days until we are found."

Anna tried to look brave, but it was a losing battle and tears formed in her eyes. "What if they can't find the island? What if they never find us?" The tears started streaming down her face.

John took one look at how scared she looked and after hesitating briefly he pulled her into his arms. She didn't fight him; instead she seemed to hold on for dear life. He held her tightly to him for a few moments, rubbing up and down her arms with his hands. He pulled back to look at her. He offered a half smile.

"We will be okay; we will figure a way out of this. I promise you. For now though we have to come up with a plan." He looked at the sky, "We have a few hours of full daylight left, I suggest we do a little exploring and see what natural resources we have in case we have to settle in for the night." He looked down at Anna. "You okay?"

Anna took a deep breath and nodded. She stepped out of his arms, and immediately felt the distance. She had felt safe when he had his arms wrapped around her. Still she would be strong; she wouldn't fall apart on him. She knew she had to keep it together in order to get out of this situation. "I'm fine. Where should we start?"

John looked down the beach. The actual beach wasn't very wide, and it was surrounded by a dense forest. He had no clue how deep it went, but he figured probably 3 to 4 miles. Their best bet would be to build a shelter for the night and if they hadn't been discovered by then they would bunker down for the night and explore the center of the island tomorrow. He hoped they would find a natural water source. They would need to clean out their cuts and they would need fresh water to drink. He glanced up the beach again and turned to Anna.

"We should at least build some kind of shelter so we can have a place to protect ourselves from the elements in case we do have to spend the night. The plane should burn itself out by tonight and in the morning we can inspect what is left, although I doubt there will really be anything salvageable. I did have a few provisions on board, but I am sure those burned up first. So we will have to look for food and a fresh water source in the morning." He winced at the pain in his head and touched the bump. He didn't think he had a concussion, but it still hurt. He looked at the cuts on Anna's face. They had stopped bleeding. They would need to be cleaned out though. "Okay, let's start walking and see where we should build a basic shelter for the night."

Anna nodded and let John lead the way. She looked around the beach trying to find a place that would be good for a shelter, but she had to admit it all looked like flat sandy beach to her. She felt like she was in a movie. Never in a million years did she think she would be stranded on a desert island.

"How far from the water should we be?"

"We should be safe from high tide if we stay at the edge of the trees." I don't think we are going to find anything natural that would serve as a shelter, so we should just pick a spot and start figuring out how to build one ourselves." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife. He showed it to Anna. "This isn't much but it should at least work to cut down some small branches and some of the bigger leaves to cover it with. We will have to make due for now. I do have a fire ax in the plane and the actual blade might be still be serviceable."

Anna pointed to a spot near where they were standing. "Well over there seems as good a place as any. Plus the trees are long enough that it might offer a little bit of shade."

John nodded. "Okay the first thing we should look for is any fallen branches or limbs that look strong enough to build a frame. I want us to stay together, though."

Anna nodded. That sounded good to her, the last thing she wanted to happen was to get separated from John. She started towards the forest. "How far should we go in?"

"Not too far, maybe a half a mile. I want to make sure we leave ourselves enough time to get back and get something up before it gets too dark. I am not sure if I can start a fire or not. I haven't been a Scout for a long time."

* * *

Anna stood back and looked at everything they had collected over the past two hours. While it looked like a lot she had no idea how it was supposed to form any kind of shelter. She watched as John re-emerged from the woods. He had taken off his long sleeve cotton shirt and was just in a thin white t-shirt. Anna had to admit he looked very good. She could see some of his chest hair curling over the collar of his shirt and the muscles in his arms rippled as he moved a heavy limb he had found in the forest. He stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow and run his hand though his hair, which had become slightly curly in the heat. Anna imagined running her hands through that thick hair. She took a deep breath and shook her head. What was she doing checking out the man as they were stranded on an island?

John placed the heavy limb on the ground and looked at what else they had collected. They had found five heavy limbs which might work as the base of support and they had collected dozens of thin branches that would work as the frame for all the big tropical leaves. He looked up to speak to Anna when he was momentarily stunned by how beautiful she looked. She had arrived for the tour in capri pants and a blue sleeveless top covered by a flowing long blouse. She had tied the blouse around her waist after they had arrived back at the beach. She was gorgeous. John groaned to himself. He better keep himself in check or he would do something he would regret later. They were stranded on this island for the foreseeable future, and he had to focus on that and not get distracted. He pointed to a handful of branches. He held out his knife. "Anna, I am going to need you do trim some of these branches. They are flexible enough to use as ties for the frame of our shelter. I am going to start arranging these limbs and branches. He watched as Anna nodded and took the knife, settling on the sand next to the pile. He smiled at her focus and determination. Her tongue stuck out a little from the corner of her mouth and John's smile faltered as he pictured that tongue doing other things with him. He shook his head. He needed to focus on the problem ahead of him and less on the beautiful woman he was stranded with. It would lead to nothing good if he got involved with her. She deserved much better than him. He bent down and started constructing the base of the shelter.

* * *

The brightness of the sky was fading as John and Anna put the finishing touches on their shelter. It was small probably 8x8 but it was big enough for them to sit and lay down in and not literally be on top of each other. There was an opening in the front facing the beach and it was near the opening that Anna was building a small wood pile for a fire, while John tried to use his almost long forgotten Scout skills to try and start a spark to get the fire going. He was rubbing two sticks together at a rapid pace looking for the tell-tale smoke that might ignite the needed spark. Anna looked up as John let out a quick shout and slowly crawled to the pile of wood and leaves Anna had built. She smiled as he placed the smoking pile of shavings into the base and clapped her hands as the ember caught and the fire starting burning. John looked up at her with a smile on his face and Anna couldn't help but throw her arms around him. John lost his balance at the contact and fell back, instinct had him holding onto Anna and taking her with him. They fell back landing on the sand, Anna on top of John.

Anna started giggling and opened her eyes. Her giggles cut off as she realized their faces were only inches from each other. She glanced down at his mouth which was slightly parted. She watched as he moved his hand up and cupped her cheek. She turned her face into the warmth. Slowly he brought her face down and she closed her eyes in anticipation of his lips. Suddenly there was large grumbling sound and Anna opened her eyes looking down as John chuckled and slowly sat them up placing Anna next to him.

"Sorry, I am starving."

Anna nodded. "I saw some loose coconuts down the way a little bit. I can go get them. It will at least be something to eat for tonight." She quickly stood up and John watched her walk away. He shook his head and looked down at his stomach.

"Thank goodness you spoke up. I was about to make a huge mistake." He stood up and met Anna on the way back. He grabbed the coconuts and brought them back to their little shelter, setting down. Anna sat next to him and watched as he worked on opening one with his little knife. He handed her one half and she gratefully took it drinking the cool liquid. That sat in silence enjoying the coconut. Anna wanted to speak up and talk about what had almost happened, but she had a feeling John would rather not, so she kept silent.

John stood up grabbing the empty shells and tossing them to the side of the shelter. "We probably should get some sleep. If we don't see any ships or planes in the morning we will have to start exploring the island for food and a natural water source. We can't live on coconuts alone. He crawled into the shelter and settled down on the left side. Anna settled down next to him. She realized there was only a few feet between them. Maybe it had been a good thing they hadn't kissed earlier. This was already awkward enough. She looked over at him and smiled.

"Cozy."

John smiled. "I certainly hope you don't snore."

Anna burst out in laughter and turned on her side so she was facing John. Her face grew serious. "I'm glad that you're here, John. I just wanted to tell you that."

He reached for her hand and squeezed it briefly before letting go. "We are going to be okay, Anna. I promise you we will find a way out of here."

Anna nodded. She gave him another smile and closed her eyes. "Good night John."

"Good night." John watched as she adjusted herself to be as comfortable as she could on a bed made of sand and leaves. A few minutes later he heard her breath deepen as she slipped into slumber. A piece of hair had fallen across her face and before John could think he lifted his hand to move it off her face. His hand stayed there for a moment before he pulled it back.

John closed his eyes and sighed. He was in so much trouble.

* * *

I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter, but I wanted to get them all set up for a bit of a stay. I promise upcoming chapters will have a lot of excitement. I have a lot of plans for Anna/John on their little deserted island! :D


	3. Chapter 3

I had no intention of writing this chapter this way, but it was like my fingers had a mind of their own! As you can see the rating went up to M, so if that isn't your thing you might want to stop when they reach the river.

* * *

Chapter 3

John slowly became awake as he felt something tickle his nose. He wrinkled his nose slightly which only seemed to make it worse. He had a fleeting thought that it smelled like lavender before opening his eyes and seeing blonde hair covering his face. He slowly brushed it away before looking to his side. Anna had apparently moved in the night. And she had moved practically on top of him. Her arm was thrown across his stomach and her hand was dangerously close to a very sensitive place. The rest of her was sidled up against him. He smiled as he looked at her. She was beautiful. His hand seemed to move on its own accord as he brushed the hair out of her face. It took all his willpower to not lean down and press a kiss down on her soft lips. He shifted slightly and he gently removed Anna's hand from his lap before slowly shifting himself up and away from her. He needed to get some space. He was only moments away from doing something he shouldn't do.

He moved away from the shelter and walked a few hundred yards down the beach. He needed to get his head in order. The last thing he needed was to give in to the feelings he had for the beautiful blonde chef he was stranded here with. She definitely deserved better than that. He knew she felt an attraction to him as well. They were both adults, they could deal with it like adults. He slowly walked back toward the shelter with the intention of waking up Anna. They needed to start searching the island for both a food source and a water source. Without both of those they wouldn't survive more than a few days.

He bent down into the shelter and kneeled next to where Anna was asleep. He gently nudged her shoulder but that didn't even stir her. He tried a little harder, but she still didn't budge. Apparently Anna was as heavy sleeper. He finally moved her who body slightly and that at least got her moving. She frowned slightly before opening her eyes. She groaned at the brightness and quickly closed them again.

"Anna come on you have to wake up."

Anna's eyes quickly popped open as she realized where she was and who was talking to her. She quickly sat up and blinked her eyes a few times letting them adjust to the brightness of the warming sun. John crawled out of the shelter, allowing Anna to crawl out behind him. They both stood and Anna smiled at John. "I don't suppose you could magically make a cup of coffee appear? "

John let out a chuckle. "Unfortunately I can't. He looked around. "I will give you a few minutes to wake up and then we should start investigating the island. We really need to find a natural water source."

Anna nodded. "I'm awake. We don't have to wait. We are going to stay together, right?"

John nodded. "Yes, I have no idea what we will find in there. I definitely do not want us to get separated. We may as well enter right here. Just stay right behind me. If you need to stop then just let me know."

Anna nodded and followed him into the dense forest.

* * *

They had been walking through the dense forest for about an hour when John stopped suddenly. Anna had been looking at something and didn't notice he had stopped so she ran head on into him.

"Oomph." Before she knew it she was on the ground looking up at a chuckling John. He reached down for her hand.

"Sorry about that. I thought I heard water." He pulled her up and Anna lost her balance and fell against his chest. John's breath hitched in his throat as he looked down at Anna. She looked up at him. John felt himself lower his head but realization clicked in and he abruptly pulled back. He stepped back and turned in the direction he had thought he heard the water.

Anna blinked several times. That was twice now that she and John had almost kissed. She could tell he was trying to keep his distance and she was trying to figure out why. They were two consenting adults and there was obviously an attraction. She began to voice this very fact when John started walking to his left. Anna frowned and followed him. The walked for about a half a mile before John stopped again. Anna peered around him and couldn't help but smile.

About two-hundred yards in front of them was a river with a small waterfall. She didn't think she had ever seen anything more beautiful. "Can we go in it?"

John nodded. "I don't see why not, but first I want to clean out your cuts." They started for the water. When they stopped, John reached down with his hand and used it as a cup to carry some water. He brought it too his lips. It tasted wonderful. He reached down again for another palm fill. He offered it to Anna.

"It's not the best cup, but it will have to do." He brought his palm to Anna's lips. She cupped it with one of her small hands and John had to fight back a groan as he saw the tip of her tongue dip into the water in his palm. Her lips wrapped around his hand and he tilted his palm to allow the water to go into mouth. To get the water she had to gently suck on his hand and John had never had something so sensual happen to him in his life. He watched as Anna wiped her mouth and smiled up at him. She used her tongue to lick her lips and John was undone. He reached for Anna and pulled her to him. He growled out an "I'm sorry," before his lips pressed down to hers.

Anna was stunned for a moment, but she quickly responded opening her mouth slightly letting John deepen the kiss. She moaned as his tongue circled her bottom lip before entering her mouth and running along the ridge on top. Her legs almost buckled at the pleasure that coursed through her. She would have fallen if John hadn't been holding on to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt John pull her closer. They fit together perfectly. John had one hand on her waist and used the other to gently grab the back of her head. He gently ran his fingers in the hair there. Anna slipped her tongue into John's mouth and felt him groan when the tip touched his tongue. They continued for a few moments more before John pulled away. They were both out of breath and for a moment neither said a word as they both just stared at each other. John opened his mouth to speak but Anna quickly put her fingers up to his mouth.

"If you are going to apologize for that, please don't. That was incredible and I'm not sorry it happened."

John ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. "Anna, it's just complicated. I'm not a free man."

Anna looked up at him. "Are you trying to tell me that you're married?"

John looked down at her. "I am married, but it hasn't been a real marriage for a long time. I haven't even see Vera in years. There is more-"

"John, you don't owe me an explanation. You are telling me you are separated, am I correct in assuming that?"

John nodded and started to speak when Anna reached up and placed a kiss on his lips. "John we are on this island for god knows how long. We are both free, so what is stopping us from having a little fun?"

John wanted to tell her there was plenty to stop them. She didn't know the whole truth, just a part of it. He knew he should tell her now, but he wasn't ready to see her face when he told her the truth. She wouldn't want to have fun once she knew the truth about him. About the man he used to be. He looked down at her and offered a half smile.

"Too much fun can be bad for one's health and speaking of health, I really want to get those cuts cleaned out and I think we could both use a bath." He took of his lon sleeve shirt and tore one of the sleeves, he then reached down to the water with the sleeve he had torn off, and dipped it into the water and brought it to Anna's face. He gently cleaned the first of her cuts. Anna winced a little, and John frowned. "I'm sorry Anna. I am trying to be gentle."

Anna gave him a smile. "It's fine. Just do what you have to do."

John nodded and finished cleaning out her cuts. Anna then reached for the cloth and dipped the unused side in the water. "You have a few scrapes too. Let me take care of them." She reached up and gently started dabbing the scrapes on his forehead. John tried to look straight ahead but couldn't help glancing at her face as she cleaned his scrapes. She really was beautiful. A piece of her hair kept getting in her face and she was trying to blow it out of the way. John grasped it in his fingers and tucked it behind her ear. She looked up at him and smiled in thanks. "Okay, I think you are all set. You have a nasty bump still though." She gently touched it. "Does it hurt much?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "I know it's there, but the pain is okay. Now about those baths? I see a couple of spots that we can use that will allow us to have our privacy."

Anna pouted. "Where is the fun in that?"

John laughed. "Anna, I don't want to do anything we will regret. We have only known each other a few days after all. I am going to head that way where there is a wall of rocks. You stay here and let me know when you are done and dressed again. Okay?"

Anna nodded and walked away. She knew he made a good point; still she wanted more of what they had started a few minutes ago. John Bates made her feel something she had never felt before in her life and she wanted to experience more of it. She began to undress, hesitating as she got to her bra and panties. After a moment's hesitation she removed those as well before slowly walking into the river.

John entered the water by the rock wall after removing his clothes. He had to admit the water was perfect. He tried to keep his mind empty but he couldn't help thinking back to that kiss he and Anna had shared a few minutes ago. It had been wonderful. No woman had ever felt as good in his arms as Anna had. He knew Anna just wanted to have some fun, but John knew he wouldn't be able to do that. He was started to feel something for Anna Smith that he had never felt before in his life. It worried him. He dove down into the water and swam for a few moments enjoying the warm water that enveloped his body. He broke the surface and shook the water from his hair. He floated on his back and was just about to go below the water again when he heard a scream from the other side of the wall. He immediately sprung up and without thinking began swimming around the rock wall towards where Anna was.

"ANNA!" He swam as quickly as he could and as he came around the wall he saw her smacking the water around her. John quickly swam up to her. "Anna, what is it?"

Anna looked up as John reached her and threw her arms around him. "A snake, I saw a snake. It was huge." She was clinging to him and John quickly looked around not seeing anything.

"Okay, well I think your splashing scared it away. How about we get you out of the water?"

Anna nodded and removed her arms from John's neck and they both started swimming towards the show, and as it got shallow they both stood. John heard Anna gasp and he looked towards her and his eyes widened. In his urgency to get to Anna he hadn't took the time to grab at least his boxers so he was standing in front of Anna as nude as the day he was born. And he couldn't help but notice she was the same way. All he saw was miles of pale perfect skin. He tried to keep his eyes focused on her face. She was staring at him and he could see the desire in her eyes. He swallowed and without thinking used his tongue to moisten his lips. He saw Anna's eyes darken as she watched his tongue's movement. She moved close to him and John couldn't fight it a moment longer. He reached for her lifting her up and Anna wrapped her legs around his waist and began kissing him. They continued to kiss as John carried them out of the water onto the beach. She unwrapped her legs as John slowly lowered them both to the ground, he lay down next to her and Anna wrapped a leg around his hip.

"Anna, are sure? I don't think I will be able to stop after this."

Anna nodded, "I have never wanted anyone as much as I want you at this moment." She drew his head down and they began kissing again. John pulled away and began kissing her neck, gently sucking it as he moved from one side to the other. Anna groaned in response. She ran a hand down his side and gently squeezed his hipbone before running her hand up and down his backside before squeezing it. Meanwhile John started trailing kisses along her jaw and shoulder before moving to her breasts. He kissed all around them before gently taking one of her nipples into his mouth, biting it softly before gently sucking it.

Anna tilted back her head and groaned at the sensation. John focused on her other nipple giving it the same treatment. Anna placed her hand on the back of his head keeping him place for a moment before once again running her hand down his side. She reached for the front of him and smiled as she felt his hardness in her hand. It felt full and heavy. She ran her hand up and down his shaft and John stopped his attention on her breasts to groan in appreciation. He decided to return the favor and reached his hand between them finding her center. Anna stopped her movements and tilted her head back at the sensation. John found her center and rubbed gently, causing Anna to jerk her hips in response. John continued to rub and Anna began moving her hips in rhythm to his fingers.

John could tell she was close and slipped a finger inside of her stroking gently. That was all Anna needed and she immediately became undone. John began kissing her neck as Anna's shudders continued. "You are so beautiful." He moved to rise above her and when Anna opened her eyes he looked at her as if to ask permission. She nodded. After those feelings of pleasure she couldn't wait another moment. She needed him now.

John slowly entered her, groaning at how good it felt to be connected to her. He wrapped her right leg around his hip to allow himself to go even deeper. Anna groaned out loud as John started a steady rhythm. He was making her feel things she had never felt in her life. Her hips met his in perfect rhythm and she could feel it beginning to build again. She wrapped her arms tighter around him to bring her closer to him. She felt herself take off again and this time John followed her groaning her name as he jerked on top of her. A few moments later she felt all of his weight rest on her for a moment before he moved to her side. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. They didn't say anything for a moment. They were both struggling to get a handle on their feelings. John placed a soft kiss on her forehead, before speaking.

"Well that was unexpected." Anna couldn't help laughing.

"I think unexpected is an understatement." She looked up at him and was relieved to not see any regret in his eyes. She kissed him gently before snuggling back into his chest. Anna closed her eyes and in a few moments John could tell by her breathing that she had fallen asleep. He placed a kiss on her hair and let out a soft sigh.

He didn't regret it and yes it had been wonderful, but he knew as soon as Anna knew everything about him she would regret what happened and John could barely stand the thought of that. He would have to tell her soon. He couldn't let this continue. He was falling in love with Anna Smith and he had to put a stop to it before he broke her heart.

* * *

I hope the smut wasn't too much. I feel like I am so bad at writing it, but I carried on with it. I hope it was okay! As always please leave a review. :)

ETA: I did struggle with if it was too OOC to act on their feelings so soon. I went ahead figuring the stress of being stranded and not knowing if they will get off the island makes them live more in the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Anna slowly opened her eyes and for a brief moment was confused by where she was. As her eyes took in the water before her she slowly became aware of the sand under her body. She smiled as she remembered how she ended up naked on the warm sand. She turned to take in John only to find herself alone on the beach. She frowned even deeper when she noticed her clothes folded up neatly next to her. She looked around for John but couldn't see him anywhere. She felt a moment of panic but relaxed as she realized he would never leave her alone for long. She stood up brushing the sand off of her and slowly got dressed. She was just buttoning up her shirt when John emerged from the trees. Anna suddenly felt shy. She didn't regret what happened at all, but still they really had not known each other that long and if they had been in a more civilized environment Anna didn't think things would have progressed nearly as soon as they had earlier. She watched as John walked closer and her heart sank at the look in his eyes. When he stood in front of her she opened her mouth to speak.

"John, please don't-"

"Anna, I'm sorry. What happened earlier should never have happened. I apologize for letting it go so far."

Anna shook her head. "Please don't be sorry. I'm not. It was wonderful. I don't regret it, not any of it."

John just shook his head. He had dozed off after he and Anna had made love and when he awakened he couldn't help but be awed at how beautiful Anna looked while sleeping. She was young and she was beautiful, and she deserved a lot more than he could ever give her. He committed himself then and there that he would end it before it got any further; before his feelings went any deeper than they already had. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but the pain would be worse if she fell in love with him and then got her heart broken.

"You would regret it, if you knew anything about me at all."

Anna shook her head, "I wouldn't John. I could never regret what happened." She reached out her hand to touch his face but John jerked himself back as if he couldn't stand to be touched by her. Anna felt tears form in her eyes. She wouldn't let him see her cry. She turned and ran, she didn't even know where she was going, she just knew she wanted to get as far away from John Bates as she could.

John watched her leave and shook his head. He hadn't wanted to pull away from her touch, he just knew she deserved better and he just wanted her to see that as well. If it meant being the bad guy, so be it. However, he couldn't let her run away; there was no telling what was out there. He yelled her name and when he got no response he started jogging down the beach in the direction she had run. When the beach started turning to foliage he stopped and turned and looked around him. He didn't see her at all. It was like she had just disappeared.

* * *

Anna looked around her and tried to get her bearings. She knew she shouldn't have run off, but she couldn't bear to see the look of regret on John's face. She kept seeing him jerk back at her touch as if it revolted him. Anna hadn't been with many men, and she admitted she and John had not known each other that long, but she felt a connection with him, something she hadn't felt before. She didn't know what John was keeping from her, but she couldn't imagine it was anything that would make her regret what happened. She sighed and glanced around her. In her attempt to get away she had run blindly into the dense forest and now she had no idea where she was. She could feel the panic begin to set in and she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She could figure this out. She heard a rustle behind her and turned around and let out a scream.

* * *

John continued to scour beach for signs of Anna. He hoped she hadn't run into the forest, but he couldn't see her anywhere and his heart sank at the thought of her alone in there. It was dense and a person could be lost in there and never be found if they weren't careful. He cursed his stupidity at chasing her away. The truth was he could never regret what had happened between him and Anna, he just felt like she would be better off without him. She deserved better. He should have handled it better though, he regretted how he had spoken and now she was gone and he had no idea where she was. He looked toward the forest and headed toward the trees when a scream pierced the air in the distance. He stopped. He heard another scream this time it sounded like his name. He sprinted toward her voice. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Anna.

* * *

Anna screamed out John's name as the snake slowly moved towards her. Somewhere in her mind it occurred to her that she probably should be quiet. Her heart was racing and all she could think about was all those animal shows she had ever watched that talked about the danger of snakes and how a bite could kill a person within hours of being bitten. She slowly began walking away, trying to be as quiet as possible. The snake was still stalking her and Anna froze as it moved it closer. She glanced to her left as she saw a shadow and realized it was John. He held up his hand as he seemed to notice the snake. Anna looked back at the snake as it got ready to strike. She took a step back and stepped on a branch and as it made the snapping sound the snake moved to strike. She saw John running towards her out of the corner of her eye, and started to turn, but she lost her footing and felt herself falling back and as if in slow motion she saw the snake leap forward and felt a sharp pain on her leg. The pain registered briefly before her head smacked against a tree and everything faded to black.

John had come up on the scene and immediately noticed the danger. The snake was totally focused on Anna as she took small steps away from the snake. John reached down and grabbed the first solid large rock his hand came across; as he rose Anna must have noticed the movement because she had turned to see him. He had help up his hand to try and tell her to stop moving, but Anna continued to take small steps. He had slowly been making his way towards them when he saw the snake leap for Anna as she fell back. He ran up to the snake and without even worrying about the snake turning on him he slammed the rock on the snake's head as hard as he could. He then turned to Anna who was lying unconscious on the ground. He prayed the snake hadn't hit its target but his heart sank as he noticed the bite marks on her calf. She had been bitten.

John ran a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out what to do. He knew he had to try and stop the spread of the venom. He didn't know if the snake's venom was deadly but he wasn't going to just wait and hope it wasn't. He glanced back to make sure the snake was dead, and satisfied it was he turned back to Anna. She was so still. They actually weren't that far from the small beach by the water they had found earlier in the day, John had found Anna rather easily once he heard her scream. It would be best if he got her to the beach to try and figure out what to do.

He bent down and picked her up, walking as quickly as he could to get them to the beach. Once he was out of the jungle he laid her down on the sand and immediately looked at the bite. He remembered a movie he had watched on television a few years ago where the female lead had been bitten and the male actor has opened the wound and tried to remove the venom himself. He knew it was probably the least likely thing to work, but he had to try something, he couldn't just drive Anna to the emergency room.

He reached in his pocket for his little knife. He had no way to sterilize it, but quickly ran to the water to at least rinse it off. He ran back to Anna and knelt down next to her. He knew it would be painful and he hoped she would stay unconscious while he cut open her wound. He took a deep breath and placed the knife on the wound. Once it was open he knew there was only one way to get the poison out. He bent down and placed his lips on her leg. He prayed this would work. He would never forgive himself if Anna died because of what he had said and done earlier.

* * *

A few minutes later John sat back and looked at Anna's leg. He wasn't a doctor but it didn't look bad. Either the venom hadn't spread or the snake hadn't been poisonous. He moved up to take a look at the injury to her head. He slowly tilted her head and felt for the bump on the back of her head. It was large but there didn't seem to be any blood. He just had to hope she would awaken soon. He looked down the beach to find the long sleeve shirt he had removed earlier in the day. God it seemed so long ago since they had found the water. He noticed it laying on a rock and he got up and went to retrieve it. He ripped off the other sleeve and walked back to Anna. He knelt beside her again and wrapped her leg with the sleeve. He knew it wasn't ideal and there was good chance it would get infected if they weren't careful, but it would have to do for now. He heard a moan and looked up at Anna realizing she was coming around. He closed his eyes in relief and moved so he was kneeling at her head. He placed his hand on her face and slowly caressed her cheek.

"Anna, can you hear me?" He watched as Anna slowly opened her eyes and looked around before focusing on him. She grimaced in pain, and then he watched as her eyes widened as realization set in.

"Oh god John, the snake it bit me." Anna's eyes filled with tears. "Was it poisonous? Am I going to die?

John wiped a tear off her cheek. "Shhh. I think you are going to be okay. Your leg is going to be sore, but I don't think the venom spread. I had to open the wound up, but I think I got all the poison out."

"How did you get the poison out?"

John shook his head; he wanted to spare her the gory details. "That doesn't matter, all that matters is that I think I got it all out."

Anna nodded and started to sit up, but immediately felt dizzy. She frowned as she felt the bump at the back of her head. John helped her get to a sitting position.

"You hit your head pretty hard when you fell back. I think you may have a concussion. We will have to make sure you stay awake for the next twenty-four hours."

Anna looked at John quickly before looking at the ground. "This is my fault; I shouldn't have run away like that. I just didn't want to see that look in your eyes anymore."

John frowned. "What look are you talking about?"

"The regret you feel for what happened between us earlier. "

John sighed. "Anna, it's not that I regret what happened exactly. In fact I don't think I could. What happened on this beach was wonderful. It's just that you don't know me at all. If you knew the things that I had done, the person I was, well you wouldn't want to speak to me, much less make love to me."

Anna started to shake her head, but thought better of it. She turned to look at John. "I don't think I would. I can't explain it John, but I just feel this connection with you. I wish you would tell me what you are keeping from me. Why don't you let me judge what I can and cannot handle, or what would make me run in the other direction."

John took a deep breath. This was hardly the ideal time to start this discussion, but he knew he couldn't keep it from Anna anymore. He looked at her and the desire to kiss her was overwhelming. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. She sighed and parted them willingly and for a few moments all John cared about was the feeling of her lips under his. He slowly pulled away. "I'm sorry Anna; I just wanted to know how it felt to kiss you one last time before you decide to never let me again."

"Dammit, John, stop making decision for me and just tell me what the hell it is that is so bad that I would never want to see you again."

"I'm a drunk and an ex-con. How is that for starters?"

* * *

I apologize that it took so long to get this chapter out to you. I think we can all guess what Anna's reaction will be to John's revelations, but I wanted to save that conversation for the next chapter. I borrowed the snake bite bit from a great Cary Grant movie, "Father Goose" and it is totally the wrong thing to do if you are ever in that situation so do not try that at home!


	5. Chapter 5

I apologize for taking so long to update. I got busy with some other stuff. I hope those of you who are still interested, enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 5

"I'm a drunk and an ex-con. How is that for starters?" John was afraid to look at Anna as he uttered the words that he knew would chase her away forever. The silence was finally too much and John had to look at her face bracing for the disappointment and disgust that he knew would be written all over her beautiful face. He was stopped short instead by the soft smile he saw there instead. John frowned. Had she misheard him?

"Did you not hear me, Anna? I am a drunk and an ex-con."

The soft smile remained on Anna's face, as she shook her head. "I heard you, John, and if you expect me to turn and run for the forest again, you are out of luck. Are you going to explain what happened? Or did you not think that far ahead?"

John sighed. "You might be here now, but once you know the truth you are going to wish this island was a lot bigger."

Anna sighed. "What the hell did Vera do to you John?"

John started at the question. "What are you talking about?"

"You have so little faith in me, which leads me to believe that you experience with Vera has lead you to believe that no woman will ever have faith in you. Well John I can tell you right now I am not Vera, and I have more faith in you that you can even imagine. I don't know what you did in your past, and you don't owe me anything, but I know that you are a kind and decent man. A man I could fall in love with so easily." Anna stopped short as her words hit her. She started to open her mouth, to back-peddle and take the words back, but quickly shut it again. No she wouldn't be ashamed of them. They were the truth.

John just shook his head. "Oh Anna, I don't deserve your love. You deserve so much better than me."

She reached for his hand, clasping it in her small one and squeezed it. "Why don't you let me decide for myself?"

John nodded, he had come this far. Anna deserved the truth. "I met Vera when we were both seniors in high school. I was enthralled by her. I was pretty quiet in school, not many friends. I just did my own thing and got through it as best as I could. Vera was beautiful and popular and not anyone I ever thought would give me the time of day. She was also trouble. She drank, did drugs and partied. She was everything that I tried to avoid, but when she showed me attention, I realized it was something that I always needed. It was something I rarely got. I was raised by a single mom, who had to work three jobs to keep food on the table, and a roof over our heads. I was on my own a lot. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame her at all, she did what she had to do to keep us safe, and I know she loved me. I always knew that. Still, when Vera started talking to me and flirting with me, I realized that affection was something I had been missing in my life. I lived for her attention, and let it take over my life." John looked over at Anna.

"I can understand how a teenage boy could be taken in by something like that. We all need affection, sometimes so much so that we don't realize we are getting it from the wrong person."

John nodded and continued. "It got serious fast, and I fell in love and thought she felt the same. I thought with my love she would stop partying and for a while she did, and it was great. We spent every free moment together and when we graduated we did what the others kids who weren't going off to college did. We got married and settled down. I got a job at a factory, Vera got one cleaning houses. I was happy with our life. We had a nice flat, we weren't rich, but we got by. The first few years were nice, but slowly Vera began to grow unhappy. She wanted more. She wanted a house and a nicer car. We started fighting all the time. She started hanging out with her old group of friends. We barely saw each other. I was miserable. I felt like my life was slipping away, and I looked for a change; for something to give it some meaning. A few of my co-workers from the factory joined had the Army and the stories they told inspired me, so I signed up, which infuriated Vera."

"You didn't talk about it with her first?"

John shook his head. "I probably should have, but we barely spoke. We lived in the same house, but we were living two different lives. I thought she would be happy. I was wrong. Things got worse between us and I was thankful to leave for training. Then of course the war broke out and I was called out to fight in Desert Storm. I had been there for about a year when I was injured.

Anna frowned. "You were injured? What happened?"

"My regimen was caught in an explosion. I had some injuries, the most serious being my knee. It was tore up and full of shrapnel. I had to have multiple surgeries, and I was battered and bruised and using a cane. I left the army and came home, but hardly to open arms."

"Vera was still unhappy?"

"Oh yes. While I was gone the house cleaning company had gone under and she had started working at a bar. I think she figured that once I got home, I would find a job and she could stop working. That wasn't going to happen though. I could barely walk and would need months of rehab before I didn't need my cane or have a limp. Vera was enraged. Those months were miserable. I am ashamed to admit that we both turned to alcohol. Our marriage was horrible, full or arguments, yelling and misery. I wanted a divorce, Vera refused saying that I wasn't going to abandon her and leave her with this life. So I stayed and my drinking grew heavier and my words more sharp, for months we lived in constant battle. Then one day out of the blue, Vera announced she was pregnant." He stopped when he heard Anna gasp.

"Pregnant? Even with you both so miserable, you still…" Anna looked down, unable to finish her sentence. It really was none of her business, yet she hated the thought of Vera and John together. She really didn't understand how you could hate someone and still make love with them.

"I know and looking back I am ashamed about that. We often came together after fights when our bellies were full of whiskey and our hearts full of hatred. And a result of that was a pregnancy. I was shocked, ashamed that we were going to bring a child into the world like this. That his or her parents conceived them out of hatred and not love like it should be. So my drinks grew deeper. I knew I had to provide for my family though, and my knee was better so I got a job tending bar at the same place Vera waitressed. It was the perfect place for an alcoholic. All the whiskey I could ever want was laid out before me. I didn't drink while tending bar, but all bets were off after my shift was over. Vera and I lived like that for about a month when I began to notice Vera wearing nicer clothes, spending money on things I knew we couldn't afford, not with a baby on the way. Then the police came knocking on our door. Apparently somebody was stealing money. It had gone unnoticed at first but then it started to add up and it was revealed that thousands of pounds had been stolen. Vera and I both claimed our innocence, but I remembered the new clothes and all the other things and I confronted her. We fought and fought and Vera finally admitted that she had stolen the money. She blamed me of course, saying if I hadn't gone off to war and gotten hurt we would have had a better life and she wouldn't have had to steal to get the things she deserved. I agreed with her. I was pathetic. I was drinking too much and we were barely making ends meet. I couldn't give her what she wanted, much less enough for a child. I felt like a failure."

Anna took his hand again. "Oh, John, I'm sorry things got so bad. What happened? Did Vera confess her crime?"

"No, she cried and yelled that it was my fault that she had been put in this position. That she was trying to provide for our child when I couldn't. I am ashamed to admit that I thought my child would be better off without me. How could I let the mother of my unborn child go to prison? I already felt so much guilt for the decisions I had made, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had let that happen. Looking back now I realize she was lying, she didn't do it for our child, she did it because she wanted things I could't give her, but back then I was too drunk to notice it and in my guilt, I went down to the station and confessed that it had been me who had stolen the money. It all went very quickly after that. I was sentenced to five years in jail."

Anna felt the tears in her eyes. She couldn't imagine the pain John must have been in to confess to a crime he didn't commit, to leave his unborn child without a father.

John let out a bitter laugh. "She was so mad. She said I did it to make her suffer. That she had been careful and that she wouldn't have been caught. I saw her right after I had been convicted. She paid me a visit after my sentence, telling me that she had suffered a miscarriage. She blamed me of course. She said the stress of having her husband sent to jail had caused it. She told me she was leaving, that I would never be able to find her. She swore she would never grant me a divorce, because she would be damned if I would marry again. She walked out and I haven't seen her since. It has been over ten years."

Anna was afraid to ask about prison, but she felt like John needed to get it all off of his shoulders. She hoped by telling her a weight could be lifted off of him. "What happened in prison? How long were you there?"

"What happened was that I turned my life around. Obviously I couldn't drink in prison, and the first few months were horrible, but I got through them. I decided to be a better man. I had lost my wife and my child, but I could keep my life. I could turn it around. It was hard, but I did it. I kept my head down, and was released three years after being convicted. I never looked back. I came down here, learned how to fly planes and started the tour business." He looked at Anna. "So now, you know everything. Are you sure you don't want to run for the forest?"

Anna laughed and shook her head. "You silly beggar. Do you really think any of that could chase me away? Yes, you made mistakes, but we all do. You turned your life around. I am so proud of you for becoming the man you were meant to be."

John blinked rapidly as the tears formed in his eyes. He pulled Anna to him crushing her to his chest. He gently caressed her hair being careful of her injury. He pulled back and looked down at her before slowly pressing his lips to hers. Anna opened them willingly. And for a few moments they let the passion of the kiss take them away. Anna slowly pulled away. She just had to ask one more question.

"Did you ever try and find Vera."

John shook his head. "No. She was part of the past I was done with. I wanted my life to be better, and I knew being anywhere near her was toxic. There was no child to tie us together anymore. I figured we were both better off if we never saw each other again. I had no plans to remarry, so not being divorced didn't bother me. I told myself I would never get involved in a relationship again. I did pretty well for the past ten years. That is until a beautiful blonde asked for me a drink at a wedding a few days ago."

Anna smiled. She reached up to press another kiss to his lips. John wrapped his arms around her and gently lowered her to the ground. Soon the passion overtook them. It was a few moments before John noticed a sound in the air. He quickly pulled away. He jumped up, pulling Anna with him.

"That sounds like a plane. We have to get to the outer part of the island. They might never see us in here."

John and Anna ran as fast as they could through the forest. They could still hear the sound of an engine in the distance. It seemed like they had been running for hours when they finally broke through the shelter of trees. The plane was not in sight but they could still hear the sound of the engine. They might still have time. They ran to their shelter and John thanked their luck that the fire was still smoldering. He knelt down.

"Quick, grab those branches and leaves. They should cause enough smoke to be seen from the air. That plane might still circle back."

Anna quickly piled the branches onto the fire and before long smoke began to rise high above them. They both sat on the beach, holding hands and looking to the sky. Suddenly Anna jumped up, wincing slightly as her head swam, but she was too excited to care. "Look it's the plane."

John stood up next to her, watching as the plane circled closer and closer. He let out a whoop and swung Anna in his arms as the plane noticed the smoke and began to descend. They had been found.

* * *

The story isn't over, really it is just beginning. They were barely gone two days but what has happened since they went missing? How will they be around each other back in the real world? Will some come out of the woodwork to cause trouble? You will have to stay tuned to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

This has been a long time updating and I apologize. I just lost my motivation and I didn't want to put something out that wasn't at least decent. I hope it was worth the wait and there is still interest in this story.

* * *

Anna looked at John as they flew across the water and headed back toward the island. She wondered if things would change now that they were going back to civilization. She hoped it wouldn't. She never would have thought it possible, but she had fallen in love with him in just the few days they had spent on the island together. Circumstances had thrown them together and now that real life was about to come back into it she didn't quite know how to feel. She wanted to give this relationship a chance, but would he?

John looked out the window and watched as the water flew by them below, unaware that his thoughts mirrored Anna's. John had fallen in love with her, of that he was certain. He had sworn he would never have entanglements again, but the blonde beauty had worked her way into his heart with barely a fight. Surely though once they got back to the island and real life she would realize she could do better than him? She was famous on and on television, he was a pilot with a checkered past. He was unsure what their future would or could be. He wanted to see where this would take them, but would she?

John looked over at Anna and offered a small smile. "Sounds like it might be a bit of a mad house down there when we land."

Anna nodded. The pilot had warned them after taking off that the press had gotten wind of Anna missing and being a celebrity they had run with the story and it had been all over the papers and televisions for the past several days. When the pilot had radioed in that they had been found he had been told to expect a swarm of press to be at the airport.

"Well I have dealt with the press before, so if you want I can do the talking."

John nodded. "I wouldn't know what to say anyway. Thank you."

"I hope after the press leaves, we can find a spot to sit and talk about everything." Anna hoped she didn't sound too desperate. She looked at John closely to watch his reaction and took a deep breath when he nodded.

"I think that is a good idea. We certainly have a lot to discuss."

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the pilot. "John, Anna we are getting ready to land. You better make sure you are belted in."

John and Anna took the time to latch their seat belts before looking at each other. John reached across the space and grabbed Anna's hand. He squeezed it and offered a small smile. Anna felt relief at the contact and smiled back. Maybe things would be okay after all.

* * *

John felt overwhelmed at the sea of people at the little airport. He knew the pilot had warned them that there would be press, but he had not prepared for the at least two dozen reporters that crowded the terminal as they entered it. All at once they began shouting questions and taking pictures and John was blinking rapidly trying to clear his vision from the bright lights going off all around them. He stayed behind Anna as she walked towards a podium that had been set up with at least ten microphones. As soon as she got to the podium the press began launching questions at her. Anna quickly threw up her hand to halt them and John had to admit he was impressed by her ability to take control of the situation.

"Please understand that Mr. Bates and I are very tired so therefore I am going to give a brief statement and I promise tomorrow I will come back and answer some questions. I want to thank everyone who helped search for us. It is because of their tireless efforts that Mr. Bates and I were rescued so quickly. I also want to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers; I truly believe they helped tremendously. All I want to do now is take a nice hot shower and sleep in a soft bed. Thank you very much."

Anna stepped away and indicated with her hand for John to follow her, which he willingly did. When they finally moved away from the swarm of people John felt safe to speak. "I am impressed, Anna. You handled that very well."

Anna smiled. "It's all in a day's work."

John looked down at her and smiled. "I agree with you that I would love nothing more than a hot shower, but how about before that soft bed you mentioned, we find somewhere to talk?"

Anna nodded. She wanted to suggest taking the hot shower together, but didn't want to push things as she wasn't sure exactly where things stood. "Where would you like to meet?"

John thought for a moment before speaking as if he was weighing a decision in his mind. "I have a cottage on the hotel grounds; number 14. We can meet there if you like, we would be guaranteed privacy."

Anna nodded. "That sounds perfect. We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

John looked at the clock and swore softly. Anna would be here in a few minutes and the place was a disaster area. He quickly picked up the pile of clothes on the couch and threw them in the hall closet before walking quickly to the kitchen to hide the dishes in the dishwasher. He did a quick wipe down of the counters and walked back into the living room and dusted off the table with his sleeve. He had just finished when the doorbell rang. He took a deep breath and went to answer the door.

He opened it and couldn't help but smile as he saw Anna standing there. She was wearing a beautiful yellow dress and had paired it with a white shawl. She looked stunning. He indicated with his hand that she should enter and she smiled as she walked past him. He closed the door and watched her as she took in the surroundings.

"Would you like a drink?"

Anna shook her head. "I am okay for now. " She looked at John and let a nervous laugh. "I don't know why I should be so nervous, but I am."

John released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "You aren't the only one. I feel like a teenager again going on my first date." He smiled at her and made a quick decision.

John walked over to her and reached for her hand pulling her toward him. He reached down and placed a kiss softly to her lips. Anna sighed and wrapped her arms around him, deepening the kiss briefly before pulling away.

"I am so glad you did that."

John pulled her to his chest holding her tightly. "Oh Anna, what are we going to do?"

Anna pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I don't know."

John led her to the couch and pulled her down next to him. He played with a strand of her. "We come from two different worlds. You live a high profile life in London and I try to keep to myself as much as possible on this island. I am not sure either of us could comfortably enter each other's world."

"I don't want to lose you John. I-I love you."

John smiled and pulled Anna onto his lap. "I love you too. I wasn't looking for it, but now that I have it I don't want to let it go."

Anna reached down to press a kiss to his lips. She sucked lightly on his bottom lip before pressing her lips to his again. John pulled away and began kissing her neck and Anna tilted her head back to allow him better access. She reached for the buttons on his shirt and began unbuttoning them eager to run her fingers through the dark hair on this chest. John pulled away from Anna and stopped her hand with one of his. "Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. We haven't exactly figured out what we are going to do."

Anna shook her head. "There's time for talk later." She reached down to kiss him again letting her tongue run against his lip until he opened his mouth slightly and allowed her passage. He pulled her shawl off and threw it on the floor and it wasn't long before the rest of her clothes joined it on the floor along with all of his.

* * *

John and Anna struggled to catch their breath as John reached behind him on the couch to pull a blanket over their nakedness. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and placed a kiss on her forehead. She snuggled into his chest and smiled. When she had been with other men, not that there had been many, she had always felt a bit embarrassed afterwards, but with John she just felt comfortable. It just felt right. She heard John let out a sigh.

"Not that I minded the distraction, but we really should talk about what we are going to do."

Anna started to respond, when a grumbling sound came from her stomach. She turned red with embarrassment. John couldn't help but chuckle.

"It looks like your stomach has other ideas. We can order some pizza if you want or I think I have enough stuff in my fridge to make some omelets."

"I thought you said you couldn't cook?"

John laughed, "I really can't. Omelets are about the only think I know how to make."

Anna couldn't resist a smile at the thought of John cooking for her. "An omelet sounds perfect."

John nodded and moved to sit up, Anna shifted to make it easier for him. She watched with a smile on her face as John slipped on his black boxer briefs and t-shirt and headed towards the kitchen. She looked down to find the button down shirt he had been wearing and after finding it stood up to put it on. She was still buttoning it when she headed to the kitchen to keep him company while he cooked. John looked up as she entered and broke into a grin when he saw her in his shirt.

"Now that looks much better on you then it ever did on me. "

Anna smiled and took a seat at the table as she watched him crack eggs. "I found some Gruyere and some basil that looks like it has some life still in it. How does that combination sound to you?"

"It sounds delicious. Can I help?"

He pointed towards the coffee pot on the counter. "You could brew some coffee if you wouldn't mind."

Anna stood and walked towards to pot but not before planting a kiss on his shoulder. "I don't mind at all."

John poured the eggs into the pan and let them cook for a few minutes before adding the cheese. Once it was melted he topped it with basil and swiftly closed it. He removed it from the heat and slid it onto a plate. The kitchen was soon filled with the scent of brewing coffee. He cut the omelet in half and placed one half onto another plate. He set both plates on the table. He turned to Anna who was searching for mugs. She smiled as she opened the right cabinet and pulled down two mugs.

"Do you take anything in your coffee, Anna?"

Anna shook her head. "No, I like it black."

John nodded and sat down at the table. "That's my girl. Drinking coffee black puts hair on your chest, you know."

Anna chuckled, "In that case you must drink a lot of coffee!" John smiled at the joke and watched her as she poured out the coffee and walked over to the table, setting one of the mugs in front of John. She looked down at the plates.

"This looks delicious." She sat down and the two were quiet for a few minutes as they tucked into their food. After a few minutes John pushed his plate back and took a final sip of coffee.

Anna looked up from her plate and smiled. "This was delicious, John. Thank you."

John stood up and reached for Anna's plate, kissing her softly on the lips as he picked it up. "You're welcome love. I admit I was as little nervous cooking for you. I have never cooked for a famous chef before." Anna laughed as he put the plates in the sink.

He looked up from the sink and spoke with a soft smile on his face, "I will do these up a bit later. I suggest we take a nice long hot shower and then we have that conversation."

Anna stood up and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him. "I like that idea, very much."

John placed a kiss on her head and realized he better go back first to make sure his bathroom was presentable. "Okay, why don't I get the shower running and I will call you back when it's ready."

Anna nodded and walked into the living room to settle herself back on the sofa. She watched as John walked down the hallway, and softly smiled. She didn't quite know how things were going to work, but she knew she owed to herself to try and find out. She didn't want to live her life without John in it. She was shaken from her thoughts by the doorbell ringing. She frowned and stood up quickly looking back to see if John was coming. When he didn't come down the hallway she realized he must not have heard the bell ring. She started to call out to him when the bell rang again. She frowned and looked down at her outfit. While not the most appropriate outfit for answering the door the shirt did come down to almost to her knees and she was completely covered. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked over to the door and opened it, stopping short as she took in the woman standing on the other side.

"Um, hi. Can I help you?"

The woman on the other side frowned and looked Anna up and down. Anna was taken aback by the harshness on her face and the distaste in her eyes. Anna knew she wasn't exactly wearing formal wear, but she was covered appropriately.

"You can start by telling me who the hell you are?"

Anna frowned and stood up taller at the rudeness. "Excuse me? I don't know who you are-"She stopped short as the woman stepped into the living room and pushed past her.

"I am Vera Bates, John's wife."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Anna watched as Vera Bates walked around the living room, she stalked around looking at everything in sight and gave off the impression of an caged animal. Anna took in her appearance. She had dark hair and light blue eyes which were a startling contrast, Anna had to admit she was beautiful and it wasn't hard to see why John had fallen for her all those years ago.

"So this is where my Batsey calls home. " She glanced at Anna, "I recognize you now. So you're Anna?"

"I am." Anna watched as Vera looked her up and down. She fought the urge to pull the shirt down over her legs; she wouldn't give this woman the satisfaction.

"So you were on the little island with John and now I see you have moved right on to being his floozy."

Anna opened her mouth to speak when she heard footsteps walking down the hall.

"Okay Anna the shower is ready whenever you are." John walked into the living room at stopped short at the sight of Vera. He glanced quickly at Anna before turning back to Vera.

"Vera? I can't even imagine why you would be here."

John watched as Vera took in his appearance and Anna's. It didn't take much imagination to know what had taken place a short time ago. John glanced at Anna again and could only imagine how she must be feeling. He hated that she had been put in this situation. Vera's voice brought his attention back.

"Yes, well I can see you have been quite busy since being rescued. Did you forget you were married?"

John let out an incredulous laugh. "Vera I haven't seen you in over ten years and our marriage has been over longer than that. Would you mind telling me what you are doing here?"

Anna chose this moment to speak up. "I think I am just going to get dressed." She gathered up her clothes and headed down the hallway. John shot a glance at Vera before following her.

He found Anna sitting on his bed her head in her hands. He knelt down in front of her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Anna, I am so sorry. I had no idea she would show up like this."

Anna removed her hands from her face and looked down at John. She gave a slight smile. "How could you know? I just wish I hadn't met her wearing your shirt." She let out a small chuckle.

John smiled and glanced down at his t-shirt and boxer briefs. "I didn't greet her in much better attire." They both chuckled and John reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning in to give her a soft kiss.

John broke the kiss and looked up at Anna. "This doesn't change a thing, you know. I love you and Vera showing up is a nuisance but I will take care of it."

Anna nodded and stood up and pulled John with her, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you too."

John pulled on a pair of pants and watched as Anna dressed and once she was done he took her hand and led her out of the bedroom and down the hallway. He purposefully ignored Vera as he walked Anna to the door. After opening it he leaned down to press a quick kiss to her lip.

"I will call you in the morning, okay?"

Anna nodded and shot a quick look in Vera's direction before smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too." John smiled as she turned and walked down the pathway. He closed the door once she was out of sight and the smile disappeared as he looked at Vera. His eyes turned hard. "Vera, it's been ten years. What in the hell are you doing here?"

Vera let out a bitter chuckle. "Now there is the John Bates I know so well. Why do you think I am here? I read that your plane had gone missing and of course I was concerned."

John let out a bitter laugh. "I highly doubt that, more likely you hoped I wouldn't be found and you could collect whatever belongings and money I had."

"Now Johnny, is that any way to talk me? We did have some good times."

"Vera our good times ended years ago. Now when I see you all I feel is hate and regret that I married you in the first place."

Vera frowned and walked over to where John stood. "The sex was good though wasn't it? I bet little Miss Chef can't do half the things I could do. "

John reigned in the flash of anger he felt at Vera mentioning Anna. He refused to go down that path again with Vera. "Anna is one hundred times the woman you are Vera. Trust me it isn't even close." He watched the anger flash in Vera's eyes at the put down. "I am actually glad you showed up Vera. It saves me the trouble of hiring a private detective. I want a divorce."

Vera laughed. "Do you think I am going to just let you walk away and marry that woman? I don't think so John."

"Why would you even fight it Vera. We haven't been together for years, what would be the point of denying me a divorce?"

"You left me to rot when you decided that jail was the better alternative to being married to me."

John looked at Vera, "If the diamonds on your fingers are any indication, you didn't fall all that far Vera."

Vera smiled, "Maybe not, I always had a way with men. I found a nice rich man who fell for my sob story of my husband abandoning me and my unborn child."

John frowned at the mention of their child. "I am sorry about the baby Vera. I never wanted that to happen."

"Then you shouldn't have confessed. I wouldn't have gone to jail, not while I was pregnant. I could have gotten out of the mess."

John just shook his head. Vera would never understand his reasons for confessing. It wasn't even worth trying to explain them to her. "Can you just tell me what you are doing here? What could you possibly want?"

"For the last ten years I have had a good life. I lived in a nice house, drove a nice car, had a closet full of designer clothes. Then out of the blue Will decides that I am not enough anymore and tosses me aside for a younger model and now we—" John cut her off.

"We? Who is we?"

Vera shook her head. "I mis-spoke. "

John looked at her a moment, but didn't press the issue. "So let me guess, you got tossed to the curb and now you've come crawling back to me hoping that I will take you back? Are you kidding Vera? Why would I take you back? I want nothing to do with you. All I want is a divorce."

"Well I won't give you one. I swore to you years ago that I would never let you be happy and I meant it John Bates. As long as I am alive you will never get that divorce."

"Do you honestly think I would take you back? Do you really think that we could ever live as husband and wife again?"

Vera shrugged her shoulders. "We were good together once; it could be that way again. We were happy once."

John let out a bitter laugh. "It wasn't that great Vera. Trust me. Our marriage was over years ago. There isn't any going back."

Vera frowned. "I won't let you go without a fight John. I promise you that."

John felt his temper rising and knew he had to get rid of Vera before he said or did something he would regret. He walked to the door and opened it. "You need to leave Vera."

Vera walked to the door. "This isn't over John. Trust me; this isn't over by a long shot."

John watched as Vera walked down the pathway and quickly slammed the door. He stalked around the living room. He should have known better than to think he could be happy. The urge to drink was strong. He could have just one. It would calm him down and help him think. He reached for his jacket and headed out the door. He started towards the hotel.

* * *

Anna had just settled into bed when the phone rang. She frowned as she looked at the clock. Who would be calling this late? She reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Anna?"

"John? Are you okay?"

She frowned as he let out a bitter laugh. "I don't think so. I am in the hotel bar staring at a shot of whiskey."

"Did you drink any?"

"I should have known I couldn't be happy. I should have known. "

Anna jumped out of bed, and hurried around the room gathering clothes. "Listen to me, do not drink that. Do you hear me? I will be there in two minutes." Anna hung up the phone and quickly changed before running out the door. She headed to the elevator but after a moment opted for the stairs instead quickly handling the three flights with ease. She flew into the lobby and ran into the bar searching the room for John. She sighed in relief when she spotted him in the corner sitting at a table. She quickly headed that way and sat down next to him. He looked up when she sat down and Anna frowned at the look in his eyes. He looked angry but worst of all he looked defeated. She reached up to caress his cheek.

"What happened? What did she do to you?"

"She refuses to give me a divorce and told me she will never grant me one. She says she wants to give our marriage another try. She won't let me be happy."

Anna shook her head and smiled. "Do you think I will let that vile woman stop me from being happy, John? Do you think I care about a piece of paper?"

John shook his head. "She won't let me be happy. She will find a way to ruin this, to ruin us. She won't leave me alone."

"Let her try. Do not give up on us John Bates. Do you hear me? I love you and we will be together, whether she likes it or not."

John looked at you. "I don't deserve you."

Anna stood up and reached for his hand, pulling him up. She stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his lips. "We deserve to be happy John. We may not have known each other very long, but I truly believe we deserve that. Do you love me?"

John smiled softly. "I do. More than I thought possible."

"And I love you. And that is what is important. Let her try to ruin us. Let her try and come between us. We are stronger than her, but only if we stay together. Do you hear me? I won't give up on us, so don't you!"

John looked at Anna. "You don't know her Anna. She won't walk away without a fight."

"Then a fight she shall have."

John couldn't help but smile at the determination in her voice. He reached down and kissed her softly. He pulled away and gazed into her blue eyes. "How did I get so lucky?"

"We're both lucky. Now how about we go back to my room and show each other how lucky we are?

John laughed. "That's very racy of you."

Anna laughed and graced him with a smile. "I am racy." She squeezed his hand and led him out of the bar.

* * *

Neither one had noticed Vera in the corner hidden in the darkness. The anger in her eyes flashed as she reached for the phone. She quickly dialed a number and spoke when someone on the other end picked up.

"It's me. I need you to bring him up here tomorrow. It's about time John realizes what he will be giving up for Anna Smith."

Vera closed the phone and watched the entrance where John and Anna had just left. She smiled and whispered to herself. "Enjoy yourself tonight Anna Smith because tomorrow you will be crying your little eyes out."


End file.
